This Unit has been designed to provide candidates with a good technical knowledge and understanding of the principles of operation of wind turbines. The Unit also highlights the importance of environmental and economic factors when planning the installation of a turbine or turbine group. The candidate will be encouraged to develop an objective approach to the planning of a wind power system by quantifying such factors as mean power output and variability using meteorological information appropriate to the site. The candidate will be expected to make scientifically competent recommendations based on this data. Installation effort, reliability and maintenance issues are also to be considered. The content of the Unit is largely theoretical, but basic engineering principles will be reinforced through a practical investigation of operational turbines and/or the behaviour of models in the laboratory. The focus of the Unit is solely on large wind turbines.

On completion of the Unit the candidate will be able to:

1. Analyse the response of different turbine and rotor designs to a variety of wind conditions.
2. Evaluate the economic performance and environmental impact of a turbine in a variety of locations.
3. Apply an operational understanding of wind turbines to a theoretical or practical problem context.